Soybean seed protein, oil, fatty acids, and mineral composition as influenced by soybean-corn rotation

Nacer Bellaloui, H. Arnold Bruns, Anne. M. Gillen, Hamed K. Abbas, Robert M. Zablotowicz, Alemu Mengistu, Robert L. Paris

.

DOI: 10.4236/as.2010.13013                

Abstract

Effects of crop rotation on soybean (Glycine max (L) Merr.) seed composition have not been well investigated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of soybean-corn (Zea mays L.) rotations on seed protein, oil, and fatty acids composition on soybean. Soybeans were grown at Stoneville, MS, from 2005 to 2008 in five different scheduled cropping sequences. In 2007, following three years of rotation with corn, seed oleic acid percentage was significantly higher in any crop rotation than continuous soybean. The increase of oleic fatty acid ranged from 61 to 68% in 2007, and from 27 to 51% in 2008, depending on the rotation. The increase of oleic acid was accompanied by significant increases in seed concentrations of phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), and boron (B). In 2007, the increase of P ranged from 60 to 75%, Fe from 70 to 72%, and B from 34 to 69%. In 2008, the increase of P ranged from 82 to 106%, Fe from 32 to 84%, and B from 62 to 77%. Continuous soybean had higher linoleic:oleic ratio and linoleic: palmitic + stearic + oleic ratio, indicating that relative quantity of linoleic acid decreased in rotated crops. The total production of protein, oil, stearic and oleic fatty acids was the lowest in continuous soybean. The total production of palmitic acid was inconsistent across years. The results show that soybean- corn rotation affects seed composition by consistently increasing seed oleic fatty acid, P, Fe, and B concentrations. Higher oleic acid, unsaturated fatty acid, is desirable for oil stability and long-shelf storage. The mechanisms of how these nutrients are involved are not yet understood.

Keywords

Fatty Acids; Mineral Nutrients; Oil; Protein; Seed Composition; Soybean-Corn Rotation

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Grieshop, C.M. and Fahey, G.C., Jr. (2001) Comparison of quality characteristics of soybeans from Brazil, China, and the United States. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, 49, 2669-2673.
[2]	Wilson, R.F. (2004) Seed composition. In: Boerma, H. and Specht, J.E., Ed., Soybeans: Improvement, Production, and Uses, 3rd Edition, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, 621-668.
[3]	Cherry, J.H., Bishop, L., Hasegawa, P.M. and Heffler, H.R. (1985) Differences in the fatty acid composition of soybean seed produced in northern and southern areas of the U.S.A. Phytochemistry, 24, 237-241.
[4]	Schnebly, S.R. and Fehr, W.R. (1993) Effect of years and planting dates on fatty acid composition of soybean genotypes. Crop Scince, 33, 716-719.
[5]	Burton, J.W. Breeding soybeans for improved protein quantity and quality. In: Shibles, R. (Ed.) Proceedings of World Soybean Research Conference, III, Ames, IA, Westview Press, Boulder, CO, 1984, pp. 361–367.
[6]	Liu, K.S., Orthoefer, F. and Brown, E.A. (1995) Association of seed size with genotypic variation in the chemical constituents of soybeans. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, 72, 189-192.
[7]	Temperly, R.T. and Borges, R. (2006) Tillage and crop rotation impact on soybean grain yield and composition. Agronomy Journal, 98, 999-1004.
[8]	Raimbault, B.A. and Vyn, T.J. (1991) Crop rotation and tillage effects on corn growth and soil structural stability. Agronomy Journal, 83, 979-985.
[9]	Roder, W., Mason, S.C., Clegg, M.D. and Kniep, K.R. (1989) Crop root distribution as influenced by grain sorghum–soybean rotation and fertilization. Soil Science Society of American Journal, 53, 1464-1470.
[10]	Copeland, P.J., Allmaras, R.R., Crookston, R.K. and Nelson, W.W. (1993) Corn-soybean rotation effects on soil water depletion. Agronomy Journal, 85, 203-210.
[11]	Campbell, C.A. and Zentner, R.P. (1993) Soil organic matter as influenced by crop rotations and fertilization. Soil Science Society of American Journal, 57, 1034-1040.
[12]	Karlen, D.L., Varvel, G.E., Bullock, D.G. and Cruse, R.M. (1994) Crop rotations for the 21st century. Advances in Agronomy, 53, 1-44.
[13]	Crookston, R.K. and Kurle, J.E. (1989) Corn residue effect on the yield of corn and soybean grown in rotation. Agronomy Journal, 81, 229-232.
[14]	Dabney, S.M., McGawley, E.C., Boethel, D.J. and Berger, D.A. (1988) Short-term crop rotation systems for soybean production. Agronomy Journal, 80, 197-204.
[15]	Wilhelm, W.W. and Wortmann, C.S. (2004) Tillage and rotation interactions for corn and soybean grain yield as affected by precipitation and air temperature. Agronomy Journal, 96, 425-432.
[16]	Bellaloui, N., Hanks, J.E., Fisher, D.K. and Mengistu, A. (2009a) Soybean seed composition is influenced by within-field variability in soil nutrients. Crop Management, doi:10.1094/CM-2009-1203-01-RS.
[17]	Bellaloui, N., Abbas, H.K., Gillen, A.M. and Abel, C.A. (2009b) Effect of glyphosate-boron application on seed composition and nitrogen metabolism in glyphosate-resistant soybean Journal of Agricul-ture and Food Chemistry, 57, 9050-9056.
[18]	Lohse, G. (1982) Microanalytical azomethine-H method for boron determination in plant tissue. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 13, 127-134.
[19]	John, M.K., Chuah, H.H. and Neufeld, J.H. (1975) Application of improved azome-thine-H method to the determination of boron in soils and plants. Analytical Letters, 8, 559-568.
[20]	Bandemer, S.L. and Schaible, P.J. (1944) Determination of iron. A study of the o-phenanthrolinemethod. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Analytical Edition, 16, 317-319.
[21]	Leoppert, R.L. and Inskeep, W.P. (1996) Colorimetric determination of ferrous iron and ferric iron by the 1,10-phenan- throline method. In: Bigham, J.M., Ed., Methods of Soil Analysis: Part 3. Chemical Methods, Soil Science Society of America, Madison, 659-661.
[22]	Cavell, A.J. (1955) The colorimetric determination of phosphorus in plant materials. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 6, 479-480.
[23]	Analytical Methods Committee (1959) Analyst, London, 84, 214.
[24]	Bellaloui, N., Reddy, K.N., Zablotowicz, R.M. and Mengistu, A. (2006) Simulated glyphosate drift influences nitrate assimilation and nitrogen fixation in non- glyphosate-resistant soybean. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, 54, 3357-3364.
[25]	Bellaloui, N., Smith, J.R., Ray, J.D. and Gil-len, A.M. (2009c) Effect of maturity on seed composition in the early soybean production system as measured on near- isogenic soybean lines. Crop Science, 49, 608-620.
[26]	AOAC (1990a) Method 988.05. In: Helrich, K., Ed., Official Methods of Analysis, 15th Edition, The Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Inc., Arlington.
[27]	AOAC (1990b) Method 920.39. In: Helrich, K., Ed., Official Methods of Analysis, 15th Edition, The Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Inc., Arlington.
[28]	SAS (2001) SAS 9.1 TS level 1M3, Windows version.5.1.2600, SAS Institute, Gary.
[29]	Piper, E.L. and Boote, K.J. (1999) Temperature and cultivar effects on soybean seed oil and protein concentrations. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, 76, 1233-1242.
[30]	Gibson, L.R. and Mullen, R.E. (1996) Soybean seed quality reductions by high day and night temperature. Crop Science, 36, 1615-1619.
[31]	Dornbos, D.L. and Mullen, R.E. (1992) Soybean seed protein and oil contents and fatty-acid composition adjustments by drought and temperature. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, 69, 228-231.
[32]	Thomas, J.M.G., Boote, K.J., Allen, L.H., Jr., Gallo-Meagher, M. and Davis, J.M. (2003) Seed physiology and metabolism: Elevated temperature and carbon dioxide effects on soybean seed composition and transcript abundance. Crop Science, 43, 1548-1557.
[33]	Delta Research and Extension Center. http://www.del- taweather.msstate.edu/
[34]	Bellaloui, N., Reddy, K.N., Gillen, A.M. and Abel, C.A. (2010) Nitrogen metabolism and seed composition as influenced by foliar boron application in soybean. Plant and Soil, 54, 3357-3364.